Steering-gear-control lever assembly



y 6,1930. b. E. ROSS 1,756,994

STEERING GEAR CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet1 11 12 p v w /3 im m? afia 1 4/4- 4 J INVENTOR.

May 6-, 1930; Ross 1,756,994 STEERING GEAR CONTROL LEVER ASSEMBLY Fil80- 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1930 or LA FAYETTE, rnnrana,.a conr'onnrron JOFIVNDIANA }srnnnnve enanmonrnori n ssnnnnY" Applicationfiledilieoember 27;" 19'2e; Serial udge-157,158?

This invention relates to control assemblies i for use in connectionwiththe steering gears of automobiles, the controls being mounted onthesteering post abovelthe hub". of-the: steering wheel, so that thecontrol leverscan be readily operated by the finger or thumb of theoperator while his hands are engaged with the steeringwheel. A Theinvention provides simple and effec 1o tive means for' Idetachablyattaching: the.

several controllevers totheir respectivecontrol tubes in such manneraswill permit levers and tubes of very thin cross-section to be used,andalso permit the steering wheel to '15 be removed fromthe' steeringpost without having to disturb thenested' con'troltubes or disconnectthe steering gear.

Theinvention also provides novel-I means for mounting the horn button orother electrical signal circuit closing device'upon the up ermostcontrol leverof the assembly.

8amminor novel features of the inven tion willbe hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings 1 illustrate 1' practical embodiments of theinvention, and

I willdescribe the same with reference there- :to toenableothersfamiliar with the art to adopt and use the same; andsummarize in Ithe claims the essentials of the invention and novel features ofconstruction'and novel com binations of parts for all of whlchPI'OtGQtlQH is desired. V In saiddrawingsze Figure 1' is a verticalsectional view 135 through oneform of control assembly em bodying myinvention. I

. Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles to 'the section shown in Fig.f

Fig. 3 is a detail view'of one form off'control leverandmeans forattaching same to its top plan, a longitudinal section, an'datransrverse section ofa" control lever arm.. j l

, line 77 m 1 I F ig. 8 is a vertical section, similar to Fig.

Figs. 5, 5 and 5'" are respectively,-adetail DAVID E. ROSS, or LAFAYETTE NDIANA; AssIeNoR'Eno nossennna TOOL co v rANY,

Fig. 7 is aii 'erilarged al section o the 2showing a'modificationof theconstruction of. the upper controlle'veri '5 Figs. 9 "and-9- arerespectively detailtop and side views of the upper end. of one of thecontrol tubes, detached; and

"Fig. 10 isan enlarged detail section on line 10 10 Figs. 3and 4. i a l1 In the drawings the invention is. illustrated as used in'connectionwith a type of, control assembly in general such as shown in mycomusually mountedlupona stationary tube G which iscustomarilyhouse'dwithin the steerng tube (not shown) to which the steering wheel -isattached; the steering tube being usually rotatably mounted in an outerfixed column or casing. These features being old .andwell known, andnotforming part of this =invention'are notillustrat ed. Within tube are thenested control tubes 0 as usual. 'Each control tubeC, may have very thinwalls, and is provided at its upper end with preferably oppositelydisposed integral lugs Q Which may be formed by slitting the metal ofthe tubeand pressing the slit tongues out wardlyto form lugsCj as shown.The distance between the outer extremities panionlapplications,.filedDecember-15, 1926, V Serial Nos; 154,922 and 154,923.; but the presentinvention is not restricted to use with ofthe diametrically'opposed lugsG of each. 1 control-.tube (Fig. 9) should beless than the insidediameterof the bore of the steer-l 'ir'lg wheel-and the nut by'which thesteering wheel (not'shown) is secured to the steering itube, so thatthesaidnut and Wheel can be rea'dilyslipped over or'on or oif the endsofthe nesteditubesat will, so that the wheel can .be put in or removedfrom position without disturbing the assembledv control tubes.

p On the upper end of the tube G is mounted a supporting member or yoke1 which is .adapteclto carry the operatiye parts of the control assemblysaid yoke being preferably constructed-as described in my aforesaid apvplication Serial No. provided with an annular depending jskirt 1, a

r shown. Each controllever preferably has a handle 4 andanannularportronji..&ghtly Mounted upon the yoke l-is a base member 2 which hasan'arcuatevertical flange pertion 2 extending. through an arc ofapproximately 110 degrees, as describedin my said applicationr v H x l Jr Thecontrol-levers l are rotatably mounted axially of the yoke 1 andthe arcu ateportipn 2 ofbase member Q Qthree siuch llevers heing largerin interior diameter than the exterior v diameter of the arcuateportion-2F ofglbase member 2. Each control lever shown as provided witha radially disposed inwardly projecting arm which engages the -controltube and such arm may be formed integral may be formedseparatelyzthenefrom'as shown at 4 in Fig-4; in 'which latter case theannular portion 4a of the lever may betproyided with a series of slots4P with-anyone of-zwhich the outer end of the arm ft lca n:be"detachably engaged. V p I l Each arm :(APOD 4 hashl: circular head sat its inner end providediiwith an axially disposed opening 4-adapted:toreceive :the upper end of its .respective;control tube ar rangedzaxiallyof and'avithintu'be .G. j r l The head 4 3" of each :leverz arm riisprovided with slots4 :*(Fig. 6)acorrespondinglin location to the lugs Con .thecontrol:tuhe: with 'whichthe head is to be engaged; zthese slotspermit the head 4* to beifieeLy slipped :onto

the tube C, the lugs G passing :throughthe slots d. v Theheadz l is alsoprovidedwith slots 4 in itsupper sidemcorrespondingfi'n positionito thelugs O on the related tube,

' head is also preferably provided with threaded bores 4" "for theengagement. of"

but disposed at an angle to ithe slotsiflf The screws 16 by'which aretainerror cap; 6 is p secured :to the iheadasshoiwn in {Fi gs.' 3, it;

The retainer 6' is shown as iorinedvofua disk of metal-conforming-insize'to thei'rh'ead,

and said retainer is provided with inwardly projecting lugsb whichcorrespond 111 .piositioniwith the slotsC in the 'relatedl -control'tube Cfand with countersunk bores 16? to registerwith the bores iinheads r4;

Preferably the slots P, 'n-thezhead are slightly-less, in depthfthan thethickness of thelugs C*, see Figsv'l and lOfsothat when the retainer isin place and the-screws 6? tightened, the'controllever. 4 is fix edsecurely against both 'rotatorial and longitudinal movement on thecontrol tube a i The control lever may bewreadily, engaged with thecontrol tube by slipping *the head 4! over the end of the related tube,thelugsf' C passing through the; slots A; then the control leveris'turneduntil tlie lugsCfi register with'the recesses P. in; thetihead1 l; and

also preferably -,roughenedor slightly sertubes employed;

of spring 9 makeelectricsl contact with the the lever is raised untilthe lugs C areseated in the recesses 4: then the retainer 6-is ,appliedover the head 4, its lugs 6 engaging r the slots G the tube above thelugs C 5 and then the screws 6 are tightened securely fastening thelever to the tube as shown.

.The lug gtsgtQ and 6 pro'vide' a' su'fiiciently l ge Contact surfacebetween the lever andwe e 0 B WQLFB YQi ,.0f. etu e bythe lever.The-countersunk ends-oftheopenings 75 inltheregister fi are "preferablyroughened V or'serrated as indicated invFigs. 5 and 5 and thefundersidefo'ftheheads of screws 6 are ratechso that the screwswill-not loosenwhen g v tightened.- 1': 1 *1" Three controlzlevers(are-shewn'inrthe'drawings,:but obviously on'e or;=morerthancone maybelusediaccordingzto:themumhergof control jItis desirable toproyiilejamelectric signal 1 attachment :or-circuitcloser at :the'etop@Ltzthe assembly- In the. construction ShOWIDiD Figs. land 21a capErpiece 7fisrattachedztostheIbase member 2; in any suitable' manner, :asby 010 screws FZF. A button" 8;. i'seloosely. confined v within acentral ropenin'gcin the cap zmeinber' thus push button samy have :aperipheral fla1'igej8 ;on,' its Elowier edge; of. ilargerdiameterrthanrthe opening initheacapfl' ts. z retain 515 the button inpositionitn said npening.

The button-8yissdpperted' zupon theihead 4 of'athej upper;control.;lever, iwhi'ch headis I showirasofdargerrli ameteivthan'theheads@If the underlyingtleverszbelow-at,Lbutris'zdetahr 1200 I r j ablyattachable :totherrelated controlztube in the vmanner kaboveiClGSbI'lbGd'f 1 I :Trhe chub or head 4 of'thefnppm 'dever :(Eigsi 1%and mayhave an iritegral annular (flange-:4! adapt-- ed :to "coact'withan amiula-rw depending flange 5;

8 onf biutton 8. f. The button '8 may-'beesuppeBtedbya coiled spring :10insertedbetiveenztheybutton:andthe j I enlargedvhead 4: 'onwthezhub ofthe uppercontrolV-lever, 'saidr springsbei-ngpreferabty :aretlorangedwentenior atfo-xthe annularmfla-nge. AHmd tends to hold the buttonin raisediqaosition'. The button 8 may fllSQ-flJCaStl'IlPGItGd hy'anordinary convol'ute ,--electric push button springQ QF-igs. 2 and '8!)which ,issuppot-ted B131 5 i usual manner."-- Theipushehuttoineonstnnc-U3 V est tion resembles an'ordinary electric door hell I push button,and does not require any screws for fastening the wire.v

In the construction shown in Fig. 8 the: annular peripheral flange ofbase 2 and the" cap piece 7 are omitted; and thebutt'on 8? is} madelarge enough to also serve asa cover for the underlying control levers."This button 8 is centered. by the flanges 8 and 4 on the .head andbutton respectively, as in Figs. 1'

;-and-i2, and headless screws 8. are tapped button, and loosely engagerelatively 1 wide through the lower portion of the wall of the slots orgrooves 4 in the peripheryof the head 4 0f the upper control lever-, asshown.' In this case the horn button 8" fioatsflupon Friction disks 15,such as shown in my above mentioned applications, may be'provided beingshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 to hold the levers in adjusted position;although any suitable frictional devices may be USGClltO hold the leversin adjusted position.

wsembl ed within the, fixed tube G; and the Any desired number ofcontrol tubes constructed as described can be nested and assteeringwheel and wheel nut canbe put in place over the ends of the controltubes and a before the levers 4: are attached. The respective' levers 4can then be readily connected with their respective control tub-es,' ashereinbefore described.

The device can readily be disassembled when desired, or if it isnecessary to remove the wheel this can be done without having to removethe tubes by detaching the control levers from the tubes. 7,

Obviously the number of control tubes and levers used may be variedaccording'to the number of different controls whichit is desired to haveassembledv at the center of the sional application.

'I claim 1. .In a control assembly, a control tube", provided withprojecting lugs; a controllever arm having a head provided with a boreto receive the upper end of the tube, and with recesses in which thelugs are adaptedto be seated; and means on the arm for holding the lugsin engagement with the recesses.

seated a retainer adapted to be secured to the head to retain the lugsin position in the recesses; and screws for attaching the retainer ;tothe head.

1 4. In combination; with devices as set forth in claim 3,'a leverhaving an annular portionfprovided 'with notches adapted: to bedetachably engaged with the lever. arm.

7 5. In a-control assembly, a control tube provided with projectinglugs; a control lever arm having a head provided with a bore toreceivetheupper end of the tube, and with slots in thebQIQ'COI'I'GSPOIldlIlg inposition with the lugs onthe tube to permit thehead to pass the tube and with recesses corresponding in position. withthe lugs on the tube and in whichthe lugs are adapted to be seated, and

means on the arm for-holding the lugs in en- 7 gagementwith therecesses;

6.111 a control'assembly a controltube pro vided with projecting lugs;and a control le 'verfa'rm having ahead provided with a bore toreceivethe upper end of the tube, and with slots in i'the borecorresponding in position with the lugs, on the tube topermit the headto pass the tubeandwithrebesses iii-its face corresponding inpositionwiththe lugs onl the tube anjd in which the lugs are adapted tobe seated; aretainer adapted to be secured to the head to retain thelugsin: position in the recesses; and screws for attaching the retainer tothe head."

'7; In a control assembly vided with projecting lugs and slots above thelugs; a control lever varm having a head provided with a here to receivethe upperend of the tube and with'slots in the bore corresponding inposition with the lugs on the tube and with recesses in its upper facecorrespond- 'ing' in .position with the lugs on the tube and in'whichrecesses the lugs areadapted to be seated; a retainer adapted to besecured to the head to retain the lugs in position in the recesses andprovided with lugs engaging the slots in the tube above the lugs; andmeans for clamping the retainer to thehead.

8. Incombination with devices asset forth in'claim 7,a lever having anannular portion provided with notch-es adapted to ,be detachably engagedwith the lever arm.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own, I afi'ix my signature.DAVID E. R088.

a control tube proably engaged with the lever arm. V

3. In a control assembly, a controltube provided with projecting lugs; acontrol lever arm having a head provided with a bore to receive theupper end of the tube and with re-' cesses in which the lugs are adaptedto be

